Redbourn Road, St Albans, AL3 6

A rare opportunity to acquire a former agricultural barn with Class Q(a) consent, bordering the prestigious Childwickbury Estate and adjacent to Shafford Mill Farm. The property is accessed off the Redbourn Road, just 1.86 miles (as the crow flies) northwest of St Albans Cathedral.

Location

The property is situated just beyond the outskirts of St Albans, within attractive Hertfordshire countryside. The area is characterised by open farmland, the River Ver and a scattering of residential properties, offering a peaceful yet well-connected environment.

Description

A rare opportunity to acquire a former agricultural barn set within a plot of approximately 0.41 hectares (1.01 acres), enjoying a tranquil and semi-rural setting.

The site tapers from east to west, where it adjoins the hard-surfaced access track, the other side of which is the River Ver. The barn has far-reaching, uninterrupted views stretching northwards across open, farmed countryside.

Conveniently, the property sits just a short drive from St Albans city centre, which provides an excellent range of shops, restaurants, schooling and mainline railway station, with direct services to London St Pancras.

The property has a right of access via an unadopted road from Redbourn Road (A5183).

The area is known for its attractive countryside and walking routes. A public footpath runs adjacent to the western boundary, providing direct access to scenic riverside walks along the River Ver and linking through to the historic parkland of the Gorhambury Estate.

Planning

An application under reference 5/25/0743, was made by the vendor to St Albans City and District Council for determination of prior approval (Class Q(a) Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development Order 2015)) for the change of use of this former agricultural building to residential use.

By a decision dated 4 June 2025 prior approval was refused by St Albans City and District Council.

An appeal against this refusal was lodged by the vendor at the Planning Inspectorate under reference APP/B1930/W/25/3376432.

By a decision dated 29 April 2026, the Planning Inspectorate allowed the appeal and granted Prior Approval - Change of use of building on an agricultural unit to residential (Class C3) at Barn North of Shafford Farm, St Albans AL3 6PY in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref 5/25/0743, and the plans submitted with it, subject to the conditions set out at Part Q.2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (the GPDO1).

Further details can be found on the local authority and planning inspectorate websites.

Buyers should take independent planning advice in respect of any proposed development.

Guide Price: £300,000

This property is available for sale by online auction. Interested buyers will need to register in advance and complete an ID verification before being able to place a bid. Buyers should allow sufficient time to complete this process before the time period expires. Full details can be found on Weldon Beesly’s online auction page.

Conditions of Sale

The property will, unless previously withdrawn, be sold subject to common auction conditions and special conditions which can be found in the legal documents section of the Weldon Beesly online auction page. Each purchaser shall be deemed to have notice of each condition and all the terms thereof and to bid on those terms whether they shall have inspected the said conditions or not.

Fees

The winning buyer will be charged a buyer fee of £4,000 plus VAT (£4,800) automatically at the end of the auction. A deposit, calculated at 10% of the purchase price, is due to the vendor’s solicitor before 12 PM the business day following the auction date.

Tenure and possession
The property is to be sold freehold with vacant possession.

Easements, Covenants and Rights of Way

The property is sold subject to all existing wayleaves, easements, public or private rights of way, covenants and restrictions, whether stated in these particulars or not.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Weldon Beesly, their clients and any joint agents give notice that:

1. They have no authority to make or give any representations or warranties in relation to the property. These particulars do not form part of any offer or contract and must be relied upon as statements or representations of face. 2. Any areas, measurements or distances are approximate. The text, photographs and plans are for guidance only and are not necessarily comprehensive. It should not be assumed that the property has all necessary planning, building regulation or other consents and Weldon Beesly have not tested any services, equipment or facilities. Purchaser(s) must satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise. 3. We have not made any investigations into the existence or otherwise of any issues concerning pollution of land, air or water contamination and the Purchaser(s) is/are responsible for making their own enquiries in this regard. 4. Particulars of sale prepared in May 2026 and photographs taken in May 2026. 5. If there is any point you need clarification on, please contact the office in the first instance to avoid a wasted journey to the property.